Fuel Cost Calculator
Estimate what a trip will cost in fuel from its distance, your vehicle MPG, and the price per gallon.
Before a drive it helps to know roughly what the fuel will cost. Enter the distance in miles, your vehicle's fuel economy in miles per gallon, and the current price per gallon. The tool shows the total cost and how many gallons the trip needs. It runs entirely in your browser, so nothing is sent anywhere.
How it is calculated
The cost is the fuel used multiplied by its price, where fuel used is the distance divided by your miles per gallon:
Cost = (distance ÷ MPG) × price per gallon
For example, a 100-mile trip in a car that does 25 MPG needs 100 ÷ 25 = 4 gallons. At 3.50 per gallon that is 4 × 3.50 = 14.00. The tool also displays the 4 gallons on its own so you can see the volume as well as the money.
Getting a useful estimate
This tool uses US units throughout: miles for distance, miles per gallon for economy, and dollars per gallon for price. Your quoted MPG is usually a mixed or highway figure, and real driving rarely matches it exactly. City traffic, cold weather, a loaded vehicle, and a heavy right foot all push consumption up, so treat the result as a close estimate rather than an exact bill.
Planning a round trip
The distance field is the full distance you will actually drive. For a there-and-back journey, enter the round-trip miles, not the one-way figure. If you are comparing routes, run each one in turn and the gallons figure makes the difference easy to see.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it use MPG or litres per 100 km?
It uses miles per gallon and price per gallon, with distance in miles. It is built around US units rather than the metric L/100 km measure.
Why is my real cost sometimes higher?
Published MPG is an average. Traffic, terrain, weather, air conditioning, and load can raise fuel use above the figure you entered.
How do I cost a return journey?
Enter the total round-trip distance in the miles field. The tool multiplies whatever distance you give it, so double the one-way figure yourself.
Does this calculator store my data?
No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded or saved.